2018 Conference Finals Across NBC, NBCSN, NBCSports.com and NBC Sports App Average Nearly 2 Million Viewers; Up 9% vs. Last Year & Best in 3 Years

 

Washington Capitals Game 7 Win in Eastern Conference Final on NBCSN Delivers 2.7 Million Viewers for Most-Watched Cable Telecast of 2018 Playoffs

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 24, 2018 – Following last night’s thrilling Eastern Conference Final Game 7, in which the Washington Capitals defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-0, to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, NBC Sports’ coverage of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs to date (78 games) has averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 1.206 million viewers, which stands as the most-watched playoffs in 21 years (1997/ESPN, ESPN2, FOX 1.237 million viewers), and is up 7% vs. 2017 (1.129 million).

Bolstered by a unique matchup in the west and a seven-game series in the east, NBC Sports’ coverage of the NHL’s Eastern and Western Conference Finals averaged a combined TAD of 1.977 million viewers (12 games) across NBC, NBCSN, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app, making it the most-watched Conference Final round in three years (2015, 2.259 million) and up 9% vs. last year (1.808 million).

The Eastern Conference Final averaged a TAD of 2.128 million viewers, making it the second-best ECF in 5 years, since Boston – Pittsburgh in 2013 (2.931 million).

Last night’s ECF Game 7 between the Capitals and Lightning on NBCSN had a TAD of 2.691 million viewers, making it the most-watched cable game of the 2018 playoffs. Wednesday night’s telecast also ranks as NBCSN’s best non-overtime Game 7 in three years (3.329 million / Tampa Bay – NY Rangers on 5/29/15). Viewing to the game peaked from 10:30 – 10:45 p.m. ET, with more than 3 million viewers.

The Western Conference Final, in which the expansion Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Winnipeg Jets in five games, averaged a TAD of 1.766 million viewers, making it the best WCF in three years, since the seven game Chicago-Anaheim series in 2015 (2.468 million). The 2018 Western Conference Final also finished up 23% vs. last year’s 6-game WCF between Nashville and Anaheim (1.434 million). For more information on 2018 WCF viewership click here.

Across NBC Sports’ streaming platforms – NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app – the 2018 Playoffs to date have totaled 3 million uniques and 504 million live minutes, up 80% and 18%, respectively, compared to the same time period of the 2017 playoffs.

NBC Sports Group’s streaming of the Eastern and Western Conference Finals set records as well for uniques, total live minutes and Average Minute Audience. Streaming of the Conference Finals reached 1.1 million uniques, up 51% vs. 2017; 129 million total live minutes, up 2% vs. 2017; and featured an average minute audience of 61,500, up 33% vs. 2017.

Game 7 of the ECF delivered a total of 290,000 uniques, up 7% vs. 2017, and an Average Minute Audience of 114,200, up 20% vs. 2017, making it the most-streamed NHL game ever in uniques and delivering the highest AMA for an NHL game on record.

Locally, Game 7 of the ECF delivered a 12.6 rating in Washington, D.C., up 62% vs. NBCSN’s 2018 Conference Final avg. between the Capitals and Lightning, making it NBC Sports Group’s highest-rated NHL telecast in D.C.

Tampa delivered a 10.3 local rating for last night’s game, up 21% vs. NBCSN’s 2018 ECF average. Additionally, NBCSN was the #1 network overall in both Washington D.C. and Tampa during the game.

Following are the Top 10 markets for the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

1	Pittsburgh	4.21
2	Las Vegas	3.17
3	Buffalo	2.95
4	Nashville	2.52
5	Tampa	2.41
6	Wash, DC	2.11
7	Boston	1.82
8	Providence	1.64
9	Ft. Myers	1.48
10	Baltimore	1.36

 

–NBC SPORTS–

 

NBC SPORTS STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF CONFERENCE CALL – TOMORROW AT 1:30 P.M. ET

NBCSN’s Coverage Begins Wednesday with Game 1 Doubleheader

(3) Red Wings-(2) Lightning at 7 p.m. ET; (3) Blackhawks-(2) Blues at 9:30 p.m. ET

USA Network Presents Game 1 of (3) Rangers-(2) Penguins Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET

Pre-Game Coverage Begins with NHL Live at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 11, 2016 – NBC Sports Group’s comprehensive coverage of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs begins with three first-round games on Wednesday night, the first night of two months of Stanley Cup Playoff hockey. In order to televise as many as four games on a given day/night during the first round, NBC Sports Group will present matchups on  NBC, NBCSN and NHL Network, as well as NBCUniversal’s USA Network, the No. 1 cable entertainment network, and CNBC, NBCUniversal’s business channel. First-round games on cable are subject to local blackouts.

NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream all games airing on NBC, NBCSN, USA Network and CNBC, all via “TV Everywhere.”

NBC Sports Group’s Game 1 tripleheader begins at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, when the (2) Tampa Bay Lightning host the (3) Detroit Red Wings, and continues at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network, when the (2) Pittsburgh Penguins host the (3) N.Y. Rangers in a pair of rematches from the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Coverage shifts west at 9:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, when the (3) Chicago Blackhawks visit the (2) St. Louis Blues in Game 1 of their first-round series.

Coverage begins Wednesday night at 6 p.m. ET with NHL Live on NBCSN. On most nights of the first round, NBC Sports Group will produce two versions of NHL Live (one for NBCSN, one for USA Network/CNBC) from separate studios at its International Broadcast Center located in Stamford, Conn. NHL Live will feature a combination of hosts Liam McHugh, Kathryn Tappen, and Dave Briggs, and analysts and former players Mike Milbury, Keith Jones, Jeremy Roenick and Anson Carter.

******************************************************************************

NBC SPORTS GROUP 2016 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS CONFERENCE CALL – TOMORROW AT 1:30 P.M. ET

NBC Sports Group NHL Live studio analysts and former NHL players Mike Milbury and Jeremy Roenick, as well as Executive Producer Sam Flood, will preview the upcoming 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs on a media conference call on tomorrow, April 12, at 1:30 p.m. ET. Media interested in participating should call 719-457-2648; Passcode: 4723017.

• WHAT: NBC Sports Group 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Conference Call
• WHO: Mike Milbury, Jeremy Roenick, Executive Producer Sam Flood
• WHEN: Tuesday, April 12, at 1:30 p.m. ET
• NUMBER: 719-457-2648
• PASSCODE: 4723017

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GAME 1 BROADCAST TEAMS

NBC Sports Group has announced Game 1 broadcast pairings for the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Three-time Emmy Award-winning play-by-play commentator Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member and analyst Eddie Olczyk, and Emmy Award-winning ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Pierre McGuire will serve as the lead commentary team throughout the postseason and into the Stanley Cup Final. Following are NBC Sports Group’s Game 1 broadcast teams.

Game 1 Matchup	Play-by-Play	Analysts
CHI-STL	Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick	Pierre McGuire
DET-TB	Chris Cuthbert	Ray Ferraro
NYR-PIT	John Forslund	Brian Boucher
PHI-WSH	Jim Jackson	Bill Clement
NYI-FLA	Kenny Albert	Pierre McGuire
MIN-DAL	Gord Miller	Ray Ferraro
SJ-LA	Randy Hahn	Jamie Baker
NSH-ANA	John Forslund	Bret Hedican

 

NBC Sports Group’s first-round broadcast teams will also include Hockey Hall of Fame play-by-play announcer Pat Foley, and analysts Eddie Olczyk and Joe Micheletti.

 

NBC SPORTS GROUP STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF GAME 1 COVERAGE

WEDNESDAY

(3) DETROIT RED WINGS AT (2) TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – GAME 1 ON WEDNESDAY AT 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Wednesday night’s Stanley Cup Playoffs coverage features a doubleheader on NBCSN, beginning at 7 p.m. ET, when Ben Bishop and the (2) Tampa Bay Lightning host Pavel Datsyuk and the (3) Detroit Red Wings. This marks the second consecutive season these two teams will meet in the first round. Last year, Bishop stopped all 31 shots he faced to propel Tampa Bay to a 2-0 win in a decisive Game 7 of their first-round series. The Red Wings will look to rally around the 37-year-old Datsyuk, who announced that he will leave the Red Wings after the postseason. Chris Cuthbert (play-by-play) and Ray Ferraro (‘Inside-the-Glass’) will have the call from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.

(3) NEW YORK RANGERS AT (2) PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – GAME 1 AT 8 P.M. ET ON USA NETWORK

USA Network’s coverage begins Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, when Sidney Crosby and the (2) Pittsburgh Penguins host Henrik Lundqvist and the (3) New York Rangers. These rivals will clash in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive season. In 2014, the Rangers dispatched of the Penguins in seven games in their second-round series, and beat Pittsburgh in five games in their first-round series last year. The Penguins finished the season with a 14-2-0 record in their last 16 games, and defeated the Rangers three times in March. John Forslund (play-by-play) and Brian Boucher (‘Inside-the-Glass) will have the call from CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.

 

(3) CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS AT (2) ST. LOUIS BLUES – GAME 2 ON WEDNESDAY AT 9:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

NBCSN’s Game 1 doubleheader continues with a classic Central Division rivalry at 9:30 p.m. ET, when Patrick Kane and the (3) Chicago Blackhawks visit David Backes and the (2) St. Louis Blues. Kane recorded 106 points this season (46g/60a) to become the first-ever American-born player to lead the NHL in points in a single season, while his linemate Artemi Panarin led all rookies with 77 points (30g/47a). The Blues have been led offensively by Vladimir Tarasenko, who netted 40 goals this season, fourth-best in the league. This is the 12^th all-time playoff series between the clubs; Chicago holds an 8-3 series edge, and defeated St. Louis in six games in their 2014 first-round matchup. Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick (play-by-play) and Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’) will call the action from Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.

 

THURSDAY

(WC2) PHILADELPHIA FLYERS AT (1) WASHINGTON CAPITALS – GAME 1 ON THURSDAY AT 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Alex Ovechkin and the (1) Washington Capitals renew their rivalry with Claude Giroux and the (WC2) Philadelphia Flyers with a first-round matchup, beginning with Game 1 on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The Capitals earned their third Presidents’ Trophy in seven seasons with a league-leading 120 points, while Philadelphia posted a 15-5-3 record in its last 23 games to clinch the final Wild Card spot in the East. Ovechkin led the league for the fourth consecutive season with 50 goals, the seventh time he’s reached the 50-goal plateau. Jim Jackson (play-by-play) and Bill Clement (analyst) will call the game from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

(WC1) N.Y. ISLANDERS AT (1) FLORIDA PANTHERS – GAME 1 ON THURSDAY AT 8 P.M. ET ON CNBC

CNBC’s playoff coverage begins Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET, when Jaromir Jagr and the (1) Florida Panthers host John Tavares and the (WC1) New York Islanders in the first-ever postseason meeting between the two teams. Florida won the Atlantic Division for only the second time in their history, led by the 44-year-old Jagr, who paced the club with 66 points (27g/39a). Tavares led the Isles with 70 points this season (33g/37a), and enters the postseason on a four-game goal-scoring streak. Both clubs will look to snap long postseason series droughts; the Isles have not won a playoff series since 1993, while Florida has not won a playoff series since 1996. Kenny Albert (play-by-play) and Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass) will provide commentary from the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla.

(WC2) MINNESOTA WILD AT (1) DALLAS STARS – GAME 1 ON THURSDAY AT 9:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Mikko Koivu and the (WC2) Minnesota Wild begin their first-round series against Jamie Benn and the (1) Dallas Stars on Thursday night at 9:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Minnesota will look to advance to the second round of the playoffs for the third consecutive season, after a seven-game first-round series win against Colorado in 2014, and a six-game victory against St. Louis last year. The Stars finished the season with the Western Conference’s best record for the first time since the 2002-03 season. Benn led the league in points in the 2014-15 season, and notched 89 points this year (41g/48a) to finish second. This is the first-ever playoff meeting between the Wild and the Stars, who were formerly the Minnesota North Stars before moving to Dallas in 1993. Gord Miller (play-by-play) and Ray Ferraro (‘Inside-the-Glass) will call the action from American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

(3) SAN JOSE SHARKS AT (2) LOS ANGELES KINGS – GAME 1 ON THURSDAY AT 10:30 P.M. ET ON CNBC

The Sharks and Kings face off in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fourth time in the last six seasons, as San Jose aims to avenge its loss to Los Angeles in 2014, when the Kings rattled off four straight wins to erase a 3-0 first-round series deficit en route to their Stanley Cup title. The Sharks are led offensively by Joe Thornton (82 pts) and Joe Pavelski (78 pts), who finished tied for fourth and tied for six place, respectively, in points in the league this season. Los Angeles goaltender Jonathan Quick led the NHL with 68 starts in net, and set a career high with 40 wins. Randy Hahn (play-by-play) and Jamie Baker (‘Inside-the-Glass’) call Game 1 from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Calif.

 

FRIDAY

 (WC1) NASHVILLE PREDATORS AT (1) ANAHEIM DUCKS – GAME 1 ON FRIDAY AT 10:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Ryan Getzlaf and the Pacific Division-champion (1) Anaheim Ducks kick off their first-round series on Friday night at 10:30 p.m. ET against Shea Weber and the (WC1) Nashville Predators. Anaheim sat in last place in the Pacific Division at the Christmas break before a league-best 34-10-5 record to close out the season and grab the division crown. Nashville returns to the postseason for the second consecutive year, led by forward Filip Forsberg, who notched 34 points (19g/15a) in his last 30 games. This marks the second all-time playoff meeting between the two clubs; Nashville defeated Anaheim in the 2011 Western Conference Quarterfinals in six games. John Forslund (play-by-play) and Bret Hedican (‘Inside-the-Glass’) will have the call from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Following is NBC Sports Group’s Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round television schedule through Wed., April 20. Dates for potential Game 5, 6 and 7 matchups have been determined, but not television networks or times. (NOTE: Games airing on NBCSN, USA Network, CNBC and NHL Network are subject to local blackouts in the first round; all times ET and subject to change):

Date	Coverage	Network	Time (ET)
Wed., April 13	Game 1 – (3) Detroit at (2) Tampa Bay	NBCSN	7 p.m.
	Game 1 – (3) N.Y. Rangers at (2) Pittsburgh	USA Network	8 p.m.
	Game 1 – (3) Chicago at (2) St. Louis	NBCSN	9:30 p.m.
Thu., April 14	Game 1 – (WC2) Philadelphia at (1) Washington	NBCSN	7 p.m.
	Game 1 – (WC1) N.Y. Islanders at (1) Florida	CNBC	8 p.m.
	Game 1 – (WC2) Minnesota at (1) Dallas	NBCSN	9:30 p.m.
	Game 1 – (3) San Jose at (2) Los Angeles	CNBC	10:30 p.m.
Fri., April 15	Game 2 – (3) Detroit at (2) Tampa Bay	CNBC	7 p.m.
	Game 2 – (WC1) N.Y. Islanders at (1) Florida	NHL Network	7:30 p.m.
	Game 2 – (3) Chicago at (2) St. Louis	NBCSN	8 p.m.
	Game 1 – (WC1) Nashville at (1) Anaheim	NBCSN	10:30 p.m.
Sat., April 16	Game 2 – (3) N.Y. Rangers at (2) Pittsburgh	NBC	3 p.m.
	Game 2 – (WC2) Philadelphia at (1) Washington	CNBC	7 p.m.
	Game 2 – (WC2) Minnesota at (1) Dallas	NBCSN	8 p.m.
	Game 2 – (3) San Jose at (2) Los Angeles	NBCSN	10:30 p.m.
Sun., April 17	Game 3 – (2) St. Louis at (3) Chicago	NBC	3 p.m.
	Game 3 – (2) Tampa Bay at (3) Detroit	CNBC	7 p.m.
	Game 3 – (1) Florida at (WC1) N.Y. Islanders	NBCSN	8 p.m.
	Game 2 – (WC1) Nashville at (1) Anaheim	NBCSN	10:30 p.m.
Mon., April 18	Game 3 – (1) Washington at (WC2) Philadelphia	NBCSN	7 p.m.
	Game 3 – (1) Dallas at (WC2) Minnesota**	CNBC	8:30 p.m.
	Game 3 – (2) Los Angeles at (3) San Jose	NBCSN	10:30 p.m.
Tues., April 19	Game 4 – (2) Tampa Bay at (3) Detroit	NBCSN	7 p.m.
	Game 3 – (2) Pittsburgh at (3) N.Y. Rangers	USA Network	7 p.m.
	Game 4 – (2) St. Louis at (3) Chicago	NBCSN	9:30 p.m.
	Game 3 – (1) Anaheim at (WC1) Nashville	USA Network	9:30 p.m.
Wed., April 20	Game 4 – (1) Washington at (WC2) Philadelphia	NBCSN	7 p.m.
	Game 4 – (1) Florida at (WC1) N.Y. Islanders	USA Network	8 p.m.
	Game 4 – (1) Dallas at (WC2) Minnesota	NBCSN	9:30 p.m.
	Game 4 – (2) Los Angeles at (3) San Jose	USA Network	10:30 p.m.
Thur., April 21	Game 5 – (3) Detroit at (2) Tampa Bay*	TBD	7 p.m.
	Game 4 – (2) Pittsburgh at (3) N.Y. Rangers	TBD	8 p.m.
	Game 4 – (1) Anaheim at (WC1) Nashville	TBD	8 p.m.
	Game 5 – (3) Chicago at (2) St. Louis*	TBD	TBD
Fri., April 22	Game 5 – (WC1) N.Y. Islanders at (1) Florida*	TBD	TBD
	Game 5 – (WC2) Philadelphia at (1) Washington*	TBD	TBD
	Game 5 – (WC2) Minnesota at (1) Dallas*	TBD	TBD
	Game 5 – (3) San Jose at (2) Los Angeles	TBD	TBD
Sat., April 23	Game 5 – (3) N.Y. Rangers at (2) Pittsburgh*	TBD	3 p.m.
	Game 6 – (2) St. Louis at (3) Chicago*	TBD	8 p.m.
	Game 5 – (WC1) Nashville at (1) Anaheim*	TBD	TBD
Sun., April 24	Game 6 – (2) Tampa Bay at (3) Detroit*	TBD	12:30 p.m.
	Game 6 – (1) Washington at (WC2) Philadelphia*	TBD	3 p.m.
	Game 6 – (1) Florida at (WC1) N.Y. Islanders*	TBD	TBD
	Game 6 – (1) Dallas at (WC2) Minnesota*	TBD	TBD
	Game 6 – (2) Los Angeles at (3) San Jose*	TBD	TBD
Mon., April 25	Game 6 – (2) Pittsburgh at (3) N.Y. Rangers*	TBD	TBD
	Game 7 – (3) Chicago at (2) St. Louis*	TBD	TBD
	Game 6 – (1) Anaheim at (WC1) Nashville*	TBD	TBD
Tues, April 26	Game 7 – (3) Detroit at (2) Tampa Bay*	TBD	TBD
	Game 7 – (WC1) N.Y. Islanders at (1) Florida*	TBD	TBD
	Game 7 – (WC2) Minnesota at (1) Dallas*	TBD	TBD
	Game 7 – (3) San Jose at (2) Los Angeles*	TBD	TBD
Wed., April 27	Game 7 – (WC2) Philadelphia at (1) Washington*	TBD	TBD
	Game 7 – (3) N.Y. Rangers at (2) Pittsburgh	TBD	TBD
	Game 7 – (WC1) Nashville at (1) Anaheim	TBD	TBD

*if necessary
**NBCSN will join in progress following Flyers-Capitals game.

 

COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL COVERAGE

Through the NBC Sports Regional Networks, comprehensive coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be provided daily via NBC Sports Regional Networks, available in more than 43 million U.S. households. NBC Sports Regional Networks serve the hometown fans of the Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks, and Washington Capitals. In-depth coverage for those teams advancing to the postseason includes exclusive regional coverage of first-round games, pre- and post-game shows, and extensive on-line coverage via CSN’s team of NHL Insiders.

For teams that advance past the first round, NBC Sports Regional Networks will deliver extensive pre- and post-game coverage as well as breaking news and analysis throughout each team’s playoff run.

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA COVERAGE

NBC Sports Live Extra — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will stream 2016 Stanley Cup Playoff coverage via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire. For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra.

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–

 

Wednesday Night Rivalry – Penguins-Capitals – Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Wednesday Nightcap – Predators-Sharks – Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. ET, Immediately Following Penguins-Capitals

Steven Stamkos and Tampa Bay Lightning Visit David Backes and St. Louis Blues Tomorrow Night at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN

STAMFORD, Conn. – Oct. 26, 2015 – Two iconic NHL superstars go head-to-head in one of this generation’s best player rivalries on Wednesday night, when Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals host Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday Night Rivalry at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Penguins-Capitals on Wednesday Night Rivalry kicks off a doubleheader on NBCSN, followed by Joe Pavelski and the San Jose Sharks hosting Filip Forsberg and the Nashville Predators at 10:30 p.m. ET in the Wednesday Nightcap.

Three-time Emmy Award-winning play-by-play commentator Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick and Emmy Award-winning ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Pierre McGuire will have the call of Penguins-Capitals. Randy Hahn (play-by-play) and Jamie Baker (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will provide commentary for Predators-Sharks.

This week’s coverage kicks off tomorrow night at 8 p.m. ET, when David Backes and the St. Louis Blues host Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

NHL Live begins at 7 p.m. ET tomorrow and Wednesday. Kathryn Tappen will anchor tomorrow’s coverage alongside analysts and former NHL players Mike Milbury and Keith Jones, and Liam McHugh will host Wednesday’s studio coverage with Milbury and Jones. NHL insider Bob McKenzie will join NBCSN’s Wednesday Night Rivalry coverage to provide the latest in-depth news from around the league.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIVALRY: PENGUINS-CAPITALS – WEDNESDAY AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

The Capitals enter their Wednesday Night Rivalry showdown against the Penguins looking for their sixth consecutive win. Washington has posted a 6-1-0 record to start the 2015 campaign, and has outscored opponents 24-10 during its five-game winning streak. In their most recent outing, Evgeny Kuznetsov recorded his first career hat trick and added two assists in a 7-4 win over the Oilers in Edmonton. The Penguins have notched points in four of their last five games after a 0-3 start this season. Pittsburgh defeated Nashville 2-1 on Saturday night, courtesy of newcomer Phil Kessel’s game-winner 41 seconds into overtime. In their last Wednesday Night Rivalry showdown, Evgeni Malkin recorded three assists in Pittsburgh’s 4-3 win on Feb. 25, 2015 at the Verizon Center.

After meeting five times in the Stanley Cup Playoffs from 1991 to 1996, the rivalry between the Penguins and Capitals was reignited in their seven-game Conference Semifinals matchup in 2009. Ovechkin recorded 14 points for the highest single-series point total since 1995 to narrowly outscore Crosby (13 points), but the Penguins ultimately won the series in seven games en route to their Stanley Cup title. The two teams were featured in the 2011 Winter Classic in Pittsburgh, which stands as the most-watched NHL game since 1975 with 4.5 million viewers.

Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick (play-by-play) and Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from the Verizon Center in downtown Washington, D.C.

WEDNESDAY NIGHTCAP – PREDATORS-SHARKS – WEDNESDAY AT 10:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

NBCSN’s coast-to-coast Wednesday doubleheader heads west to San Jose at 10:30 p.m. ET when the Sharks host the Predators. Nashville has jumped out to the early Western Conference lead with a 6-1-1 record through eight games, led by strong play in net by Pekka Rinne, who boasts a 1.84 goals against average in seven appearances. The Sharks are coming off a 5-2 victory at home over the Carolina Hurricanes, in which Joel Ward notched his second career hat trick.

Randy Hahn (play-by-play) and Jamie Baker (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will provide commentary from SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.

LIGHTNING-BLUES – TUESDAY NIGHT AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

This week’s NHL coverage begins in St. Louis tomorrow night with an interconference matchup between the Lightning and Blues. Both teams earned points in their most recent games via overtime losses. Tampa Bay enters tomorrow night’s contest following three straight overtime games, including their 1-0 overtime loss in Chicago on Saturday night. The Blues also dropped their most recent decision in overtime by a score of 3-2 to the New York Islanders.

Kenny Albert (play-by-play) and Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.

Following is this week’s NHL coverage on NBCSN:

Date	Coverage	Network	Time (ET)
Tues., October 27	NHL Live	NBCSN	7 p.m.
	Tampa Bay at St. Louis	NBCSN	8 p.m.
	NHL Overtime	NBCSN	10:30 p.m.*
Wed., October 28	NHL Live	NBCSN	7 p.m.
	Wednesday Night Rivalry – Pittsburgh at Washington	NBCSN	8 p.m.
	Wednesday Nightcap – Nashville at San Jose	NBCSN	10:30 p.m.
	NHL Overtime	NBCSN	1 a.m.*

*immediately following game coverage

2015-16 REGULAR SEASON COVERAGE ON NBC & NBCSN

NBC Sports Group will deliver coverage of 105 NHL regular-season games during the 2015-16 season, featuring 12 games on NBC and 93 games on NBCSN. All games will be streamed live via NBC Sports Live Extra. This year’s coverage includes 24 Wednesday Night Rivalry games, 6 Wednesday Nightcaps, 12 Sunday Night Hockey contests, and NHL All-Star coverage.

Click here for more information on NBC Sports Group’s comprehensive NHL coverage this season.

NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS

NBC Sports Regional Networks, which serve top NHL markets such as Boston (Bruins), Philadelphia (Flyers), Washington D.C. (Capitals), Chicago (Blackhawks) and the Bay Area (Sharks), will air more than 300 live NHL games and surround the 2015-16 NHL season with in-depth news, analysis and original programming on the teams that matter most.

-NBC SPORTS GROUP-